Why human drivers are hitting self-driving cars
As driverless cars are being tested on roads in California, the number of accidents are adding up. Many accidents involving the cars are happening because the cars always obey traffic laws and do not perform traffic maneuvers as aggressively as human drivers. The cars may sometimes stop suddenly when they detect minor hazards such as pedestrians about to step into traffic.
Developers are working to solve the problem by considering whether to allow the cars to make minor infractions to avoid car accidents. For example, driverless cars always drive the speed limit. In some areas, this is not safe because all the human drivers are speeding past the driverless car. Allowing the cars to break this rule could make conditions for all drivers safer, but developers worry about where to draw the line.
New rules have been proposed in California that would require a human driver to be present to take over the wheel at all times. Google designers, who have developed a driverless car model without a gas pedal or steering wheel, are disappointed about the proposed laws.
Google’s cars have been in 17 minor crashes in the 2 million miles of test driving they have performed on California roads. None of the driverless cars have been found at fault for any of the accidents, most of which occurred when human drivers rear-ended the driverless cars at low speeds.
In the event of a crash involving personal injuries, the person responsible for the accident is liable for the injured person’s medical bills. In a crash involving a driverless car, the manufacturer who designed the car could be held responsible if the car’s self-driving technology led to the crash. Injured car accident victims may wish to contact a personal injury lawyer for more information.